Infected
by ElizabethMartin101
Summary: That what everyone seems to be now infected. Dahlia Greene has to keep her wits about her as she starts to understands the hardness of the new world. And understand it's now just walkers you should be terrified of.
1. Chapter 1

The lives of many had changed since a couple of months ago. It started with people becoming sick, hundreds of people around the world all having the same sickness. It scared people we demanded information from the government about what was happening we were becoming scared if this virus was dangerous. But the government didn't say anything just promised everything would be alright. For some people that was all they needed but then things began to happen. The people who had become sick had started to change they weren't human anymore and would kill any living thing they could get close to. The government told us to stay inside but it wasn't safe not anymore to pretend nothing was happening. People tried to leave their homes go to other places which seemed safe but the army came and started shoot and kill people. The ones that were infected and the ones that weren't. Today it was all about surviving and hoping that we could live to see another day.

Many miles away for the city and civilisation was a farm that looked untouched from humans and the infected. A house with a porch with the paint ripping of its sides from the harsh climate was in the middle of the land the only thing that shows that there were humans in the house was the lights from the candles that flickered in and out.

Dahlia wiped her forehead as small beads of sweat started to form as she cut the potato in small cubes and swiped them into the tin pot that was on the sink beside her. She only had two potatoes to go since Patricia had only given her five. They had to salvage as much food as they could since the vegetables on the farm hadn't grown yet to eat. They had to share all their food seven ways so they could all eat for the day. Dahlia was making a vegetable stew that would feel them up only for tonight and she knew there wouldn't be any leftovers there never was. She missed the taste of beef on a cheeseburger she even missed the taste of lamb and she had used to hate it.

Her dad was probably still up in his study maybe preying for all this to be over and the infected in the barn would one day become human again. That her mother and brother Shawn could be living and breathing people again. He believed they still had humanity and Dahlia wished she could believe it aswell. But after having countless nightmares of her mother trying to rip her apart she tried not to think of anything related to the infected she didn't even go near the barn that was full of them like the rest of her family did. She just pretended they weren't there.

Patricia and Beth were cleaning the house changing the sheets of the beds and washing them while Jimmy was near the gates keeping an eye on anything incase any infected stumbled onto their farm. Maggie was in the lounge room reading a book that she had ever since she came back from college she must have read that book countless of times. Otis had already left to go to hunting and hopefully he returned with some meat maybe rabbit or a bird she didn't care as long it kept her stomach from grumbling.

"Nearly finished?" asked Maggie leaning against the wall of the door of the kitchen as she watched Dahlia put the last pieces of potato's in the tin pot with the rest of the vegetables. Her half-sisters blond hair nearly falling out of her pony tail as she ran her hands through her hair.

"Yeah nearly. You hungry?" Dahlia leaned her back on the sink resting for the time as she crossed her arms across her stomach pretending not to notice that she had lost some weight since the virus. Every one in the family had began to lose weight because of the small amount of food or working around the farm and gaining muscle. But that was mainly Jimmy, Otis and Maggie.

Dad was beginning to get to old to do the heavy lifting and everyone appreciated that Patricia, Beth and Dahlia stayed near the house incase any infected came near the farm. Beth and Dahlia were the youngest and Otis didn't want his wife getting hurt so they were stuck with the chores not that she was complaining. She didn't like seeing the infected or getting anywhere near them. They terrified her and kept her up most nights especially when the ones in the barn got a little to rowdy and she could hear their grunting and moans as they scratched the walls.

Maggie snorted and smiled weakly. "Starving never thought I would appreciate a good vegetable Stu like I am now."

"We might have some meat too if Otis catches anything hunting."

"Yeah...I'm gonna sit outside on the porch keep an eye on things."

"Isn't Jimmy already keeping an eye out."

"I'll just feel better you know," Maggie licked her chapped lips looking outside the kitchen window. "Incase something's gets by Jimmy. It's a pretty big land with only one set of eyes."

Dahlia nodded

"Alright just don't stay out too long."

Dahlia turned back around turning on the stove to halfway so it would cook slow just incase Otis did mange to bring some meat back. Behind her she could hear the faint footfalls of Maggie walk away from the kitchen and looked over her shoulders as she heard the front for open and sighed looking back into the pot of vegetables and started to stir it. Eating barely nothing and always looking over your shoulders was now an everyday thing it kept you alive and safe. But she was never going to get used to it. She still wished of swimming in the lake near the farm with the rest of her family and having a normal day.

"Dad!"

Dahlia jumped away from the pot as Maggie ran in screaming past the kitchen door and patted her hands on her jeans and walked out of the room as their dad stormed down the stairs and put his hands on Maggie's shoulders.

"What's wrong? Is it the infected!"

Maggie shook her head. "No there's a man running up to the farm with a boy in his arms the kid looks injured."

Patricia and Beth had walked into the room as Maggie explained what was happening and their faces turned a shade pale.

"What do you mean by injured." asked Patricia stepping forward-looking panicked.

"I don't know I couldn't see much."

Dad took his hands of Maggie's shoulders and started to walk outside with Maggie quickly following him as he slammed the door open and walked out onto the porch. Dahlia looked over to Beth and Patricia worriedly and grabbed the bat that was leaning against the stairs and followed after her sister and father with the bat gripped in her hands tightly.

She stayed behind her father with Beth as the rest stayed in front of them as the man stumbled forward with a boy in his arms. The boy looked like he was nearly falling out of the mans grip since he was so tall and from the porch she could see he looked very pale. She didn't relax even when she saw the man was wearing a police uniform, the boy could be infected and they couldn't do anything but send him and the man away.

"Is he bit?" asked Dad not taking his eyes of the approaching people.

"Shot...by your man." The man said harshly panting

As soon as the man said he hadn't been bit their father rushed down the stairs of the porch to take a look at the boy.

Patricia gasped running over. "Otis!"

"He said I had to find Hershel. Is that you?"

Dad nodded

"Help me! Help my boy!"

"Inside, inside." Dad turned around running up to the porch as they all ran back inside following his orders. "I need my full kit. Maggie I need painkillers...anything. Clean towels, sheets, alcohol over here."

Dahlia rushed to the pantry grabbing any clean towels or sheets she could find as she threw the bat onto the couch as her father pointed over to the bed for the man to put the boy down and putting them onto the chair beside the bed and moved back watching as her father checked over the boy.

"What's happening I saw man carrying a boy I came to warn ya!" Jimmy's loud voice could be heard from the lounge room as Beth began to explain to him what was happening.

"Is he alive?" asked the man dazedly. "Is he-"

"Pillowcase," demanded her father and Dahlia stepped forward and took a pillowcase off on the pillows roughly tugging as it got caught. "Pillowcase quick!"

Dahlia tugged hard on the pillowcase as it was finally off and moved over to her father's side as he started to instruct her on what to do.

"Fold it and keep pressure on the wound." Dahlia nodded quickly pressing against where all the blood was pouring out of him. The blood didn't bother her she had helped a cow give birth once and it was much more blood than this she could handle it. But the cow hadn't been dying.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as her father put the end of the stethoscope against the boy chest as he frantically tried to find anything to show them that the boy was still living.

"I-Is he..." the man had began to stutter now barely holding together as he stood over her father looking at the boy on the bed with wet eyes.

"I've got a heartbeat. It's faint." Her father took away his stethoscope throwing it onto the chair.

Dahlia nearly jumped as she felt Patricia put her hand on her back and move her away gently. "I've got this. Step back."

Dahlia stood up and shakily walked back and stood against the wall. She hadn't seen anyone die, she hadn't been near when her mother and Shawn were infected. All she knew of death was when the animals died. But seeing a humans especially a boy who was close to her age bleeding out terrified her. It was like it was almost telling her that she wasn't safe either no matter how much her family tried to protect her from the infected. She could die just like this boy could.

"Maggie I need an IV."

Maggie stepped forward glancing over to the man in the police uniform warily. "We need space."

"What's your name?" asked dad looking away from the bleeding boy and asked the question again when the man didn't say anything. "What's your name?"

"Rick. I-I'm Rick. I'm Rick"

"We'll Rick were going do everything we can okay. You need to give us some room. Now."

Rick didn't look like he could even hear her father as he stood still watching the boy on the bed. Dahlia walked over to him slowly like she would do to a scared animal and put her hand on his shoulder avoiding the blood on his shirt ignoring when he tensed up.

"Come on. The quicker daddy gets his space the quicker we can help."

Rick nodded his head slowly letting her lead him out of the room and away from the frantic talking and rushing footsteps of the people in the room. She only lead him to the hallway where he could still be able to see what was happening she didn't think she could pull him anymore away.

"I'm gonna go get you clean shirt and something to wipe your hands on okay." Dahlia didn't say anything about the blood that was everywhere on him not wanting to panic Rick anymore.

He merely nodded looking into the room where they were trying to keep the boy alive.

Dahlia walked into Shawn's old bedroom looking through his shirts to see which would fit the man outside in the hallway. She didn't look anywhere else she hadn't been his room ever since he got infected and if the boy in the room hadn't been bleeding out she still wouldn't have. She grabbed one of the shirts she never saw Shawn in and walked out of his room shutting the door behind her with a click.

The man wasn't in the hallway anymore and she knew he couldn't be in the room with the bleeding boy so he had to be downstairs somewhere. Beth's door opened slowly and Beth poked her head out looking at Dahlia.

"He went downstairs. Otis and another man were coming up to the house. I was watching from my window with Jimmy."

"Thanks." She went to walk down the stairs but Beth's voice stopped her as her foot landed on the second stair.

"Is that boy alright?"

"I hope so."

Dahlia turned around as she heard someone clear their throat and she saw Rick walking up the stairs still looking dazed she noticed that his face was slightly red and that he must have touched his face with his bloody hands. She could see Otis standing behind him with his gun in his hands and a tall, beefy muscular man beside him.

She unconsciously stepped back from them. She hadn't ever seen a man who was as tall he was before the virus happened. She awkwardly held out the shirt to Rick since she hadn't had the time to get a dishcloth this was all she could give him.

Rick took it from her with shaking hands. "Thank you."

Dahlia nodded awkwardly and stepped further back to let them move past her and noticed that Beth had shut her door closed again. Obviously she didn't want to see the new people and she couldn't blame her.

"Do you know his blood type?" asked Dad looking under the folded up pillowcase to check the wound.

"A positive same as mine." hoarsely said Rick.

Dad looked up at them nearly looking hopeful. "That's fortunate don't wonder far I'm gonna need ya. What happened?"

Otis opened his mouth with a stunned look on his face.

"I was tracking a buck and the bullet went through, straight through."

"The deer slowed the bullet down it certainly saved his life but it did not go through clean it broke up to pieces if I can get the bullet pieces out. I'm counting six"

"I never saw him," whispered shakily Otis loudly to Patricia as he walked over to her. "I didn't until he was on the ground."

"Lori doesn't know. My wife doesn't know, my wife doesn't know." Rick started to sob as he put his hands over his eyes. The man beside him grabbed his shoulder trying to whisper comforting words to him.

She didn't know what it was but seeing this man cry over the fact that his wife didn't know that the boy in the bed that must have been his son. Something cracked inside her. Would this be how her father would react if her, Beth or Maggie died. Shawn was his step kid though it didn't change much but she thought that since they were his own real daughters that he would break more.

"We could go get her," she spoke up gaining their attention. "I could saddle up one of the horses an-"

"No! Your not going anywhere not with those things out there I won't let ya." snapped Dad looking at her with narrowed eyes.

Maggie agreed nodding her head. "I'll do it. I know this places better than you and I've been off the farm with the infected out and about I know how to avoid them. Your wife's names Lori right?"

Rick sniffed and nodded his head.

Dahlia stepped forward. "I'll come with you to saddle-"

"Nah you stay here with Patricia and Daddy. We both know Beth hates blood she won't be much help now."

"All right just come back okay."

Maggie nodded and walked our of the room with Dahlia's eyes following her. Just asking to come back safe and alive was becoming just too much. It was almost like a chore for her now.

"Dahlia I'm gonna need some room. Get them out of here and keep them in the other room. I'm gonna need Rick soon." ordered her father as started to cut up the boys shirt to see the wound clearer.

"Sorry but you have to come." She dragged out the reluctant Rick and his tall friend and shut the door behind her.

Rick slid down the wall sitting on the ground with his head in his hands.

"What am I going to do?"

She stood there awkwardly as the other man sat down beside him looking at his own hands that were clean of blood unlike Rick's which reminded her to get a dishcloth to clean his hands that were clenched around Shawn's old shirt.

"Here," she put her hand out. "Give me your shirt and I'll go clean it. Get you a dishcloth to clean up yours too."

Rick struggled to get out of his police shirt that was now sticking to his body and handed it to her not bothering to put the other shirt on yet.

"What's your name?"

"Dahlia Greene. The girl who went to find you wife is my sister Maggie."

"I appreciate what you're doing for my boy."

"It's nothing. Daddy wouldn't let a kid die because of a gunshot he's gonna do everything he can."

Rick just nodded and looked back down to his bloody hands.

Dahlia walked off into the kitchen and remembered the vegetable stew and quickly put it on low before it could burn. If the man was going to give his son blood than he was going to need some food in his belly and so would the boy when he woke up. If he woke up. She put Rick's shirt in the hamper and grabbed a dishcloth and wet it under the sink squeezing it so it wasn't drenched. She took her time going slow knowing that Rick and his friend would probably be talking.

"-what am I going to tell Lori. I was the one that let him come with us."

"It wasn't your fault man."

"My sons bleeding out like no tomorrow and may just die. I just got him back Shane."

Dahlia made her footsteps more heavy so they knew she was nearing them and they stopped talking looking up at her. Rick's eyes weren't wet anymore but his eyes looked haunted and she noted that he had put the shirt on. It was loose on him he was skinnier than Shawn had been. She gave him the dishcloth and watched as he wiped down his hands slowly scrubbing away the blood.

"Dahlia I'm gonna need you in here!" Dad yelled through the door and quickly went over and opened it but quickly shut it. She didn't want the man to see how pale the boy was becoming.

"He's awake." She said surprised he didn't look like he was going to wake up for nearly house. She should be happy but after seeing that her father had his small medical tongs in his hands moving closer to the bullet wound she knew what was going to happen wasn't something to be happy about. He was going to be awake when they were pulling the bullet out.

"What...Where.." The boy began to speak in a quiet tone as he moved his head side to side blinking.

Her father stuck the tongs into the wound without warning and the boy nearly jumped off the bed groaning she rushed over and tried to keep him down but even if he was close to her age he was stronger than her.

"I can't keep him down." She gasped over the boys groans of pain.

"Go get Rick and his friend. Where gonna need blood and someone else to keep him down."

Dahlia rushed over to the door opening it and looking at the man who looked up at her from the ground.

"Rick...you gotta get in here. He's gonna need blood."

Rick and Shane basically jumped to their feet and she had to quickly step back as they ran into the room hesitating as they saw the boy groaning and gripping the bed sheets. She hovered over near the door knowing she couldn't do much.

Dad looked up from the squirming boy and nodded his head at Shane. "You get over here hold him down."

Shane walked over and kneeling beside the bed and gripping the boy down onto the bed looking like he was in his own pain as he tried to hush the boy who only started scream

"Dad!" The boy yelled out

"Almost there." murmured Dad as he concentrated on the wound.

Dahlia backed out further into the hallway as the boy started to scream louder. He was in so much pain and they were doing it only to keep him alive. She couldn't imagine the pain he was going through and she knew she wouldn't be able to deal with it. She gulped loudly as the screams got louder and stepped a little back as Otis ran out of the room with a guilty look on his face.

"Stop," Rick screamed glaring at her father. "Your killing him."

"Rick do you want him to live!" yelled dad barely looking away from the screaming boy to look at the angry Rick.

"We need blood." Patricia said loudly as she tried to grab Ricks's arm again to put the needle in.

"Do it now!" shouted Shane as he pushed the screaming boy back onto the bed as Rick stood staring at his son desperately.

Rick gave his arm to Patricia who stabbed him with the needle and started to take his blood as Rick looked down at the ground. The boy stopped shouting and went still and Dahlia stepped forward worried. Was he...

"Wait, wait. Hey" Shane started to speak louder when her father didn't say anything to concentrated on the bullet wound.

"He just passed out."

Dahlia breathed out relieved leaning against the doorway her body slumped forward. The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing and the noise of skin being moved around as her father tried to find a bullet piece.

Dad took out a shard of the bullet and looked at it breathing heavily.

"One down. Five to go."

Dahlia grimaced and closed the door behind her after seeing the boy scream his head off she didn't have the stomach to watch him get the bullet fragments out of his wound. Beth was outside of her room staring at the door that was behind her with wide startled eyes. Beth quickly walked over crossing her arms.

"What was going on in there. He was screaming...screaming so loud. He's going to be alright ain't he? He ain't gonna die."

"He's passed out now but he's alright I think. Where's Jimmy?"

"Went back to keep an on things. I saw Otis rush out onto the porch looked like he was nearly crying. I feel sorry for him. What happened?"

"It was an accident. He didn't see the boy, it ain't his fault. The bullet went through a buck he was hunting didn't see the guy until it was too late."

"I hope daddy saves him. He looks around the same age as you, Dahlia." Beth sadly frowned looking down at the floor obviously Dahlia hadn't been the only one to notice the boy's age.

Dahlia cleared her throat and smiled weakly.

"Come on and help me with the food maybe we could put some salt in the stu it could taste a little better."

Beth nodded and walked down the stairs to kitchen with Dahlia following her. Together people could tell that they were sisters both were petite and blond with wide eyes. They took more after their mother just like Maggie did with Hershel's first wife.

She walked over to the sink washing her hands under the water and looking outside the window onto the farm. The small amount of peace that they had been no longer since Otis had accidentally shot that boy and she was sure that Rick and Shane were in a group since she didn't think a police officer would leave his wife by herself. That meant more people to keep an eye on and more people to watch leave when her daddy told them to go. They would stay until the boy was all healed but after that they would be pushed off the farm.

Dahlia and Beth stayed inside the kitchen for nearly twenty minutes looking over the vegetable stew and talking about things that didn't involve the infected or the bleeding boy upstairs. They talked about how they missed driving into town and going to see a movie in the small theatre they had or eating ice-cream at the corner shop.

"You know what to get Otis?"

"Yeah and I know my way around the High school."

Dahlia looked up from the table and stood peering around the door as she watched her father, Rick, Shane, Otis and Patricia walking down the stairs all of them with worried expressions on their faces and didn't hesitate to follow them outside onto the porch.

"What's going on?"

Patricia looked at her seeming to blink back tears. "They gotta go to the high school to get medicinal supplies for the boy. Otis and Shane are going."

She looked over to where Otis and Shane were packing up one of their old cars and frowned. She didn't want Otis out there just like Patricia, he wasn't one for long distances and he couldn't run as fast as the other from walkers but she didn't say anything. He felt guilty and he was stubborn when he wanted to be and she knew no matter what anyone said he would go and get those medical supplies.

She walked over to Otis and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him hoping that he came back alive and with the medicinal supplies.

"Good luck."

"I'm gonna need it."

Dahlia smiled weakly at him and moved back as Patricia started crying and moved over to Otis who just hugged her to him tightly. She started to walk back into the house trying to keep her breathing in check. Two important people were going to be off the farm and around those infected. And both, Maggie and Otis wouldn't be safe until they got back. She barely looked at Beth as she moved over to the pot and started stirring the vegetables putting dashes of salt into it for better taste.

"Otis is going?"

Dahlia nodded her head not talking.

"Poor Patricia I can't imagine what she's feeling now."

Beth was right none of them could imagine what Patricia was going through. Mom and Shawn had gotten sick and became infected it was almost to quick, with Otis out there Patricia would be worrying herself silly imagining all the ways something could go wrong. Maggie and Dahlia didn't have any love interest and Beth had only been dating Jimmy for three months. They didn't know what is was like to lose someone who they loved in a romantic interest and Dahlia wasn't going to ask her their father.

Patricia and Dad walked back into the house both going back to the boy upstairs to keep an eye on him incase something happened and she noticed Rick hadn't come back inside with them. She grabbed the soup spoon from the drawers and took a single scoop of the now ready vegetable Stu and put it into a bowl.

"Where are you going?" asked Beth curiously looking up from on of the old magazines that was lazing around the house.

"Giving some Stu to Rick he gave some blood to his son and may have to give more. We need to keep his blood pressure up." Dahlia told her as she ripped some bread from one of the loaf they had in the kitchen.

She walked outside making sure to keep footsteps heard for Rick to hear her coming. He was standing against the tail of the porch looking out across the farm with a blank look on his face that disappeared when he looked at her curiously.

"I got you some vegetable Stu." she blushed giving it to him embarrassed. "It isn't much but it would keep your blood pressure up. I tried to make it as tasty as I could."

Rick looked to the bowl in his hands to the bread that was balanced on the side and gave her an appreciated smile.

"It's fine. It smells good."

"Thanks."

Dahlia awkwardly stood next to him as he quickly ate the bread and slurped down the stu in only five minutes. He must have been starving she thought sadly. She leant on the rail with her arms looking up at the sky watching as birds flew carefree. She wished she had wings. To fly away from the infected and everything else.

She looked over to Rick who was putting the empty bowl near the window and looked forward when he glanced over to her.

"What's your son's name?"

Rick blinked surprised.

"Carl. His names Carl."

Carl what a normal name. A normal name in a weird time of the world. She had never met a Carl before. Not many kids lived in the country in their town and they usually had old names or names from cities or towns.

"How old is he? He looks close to my age." asked Dahlia politely knowing that the man could just ignore her and not say anything. She wouldn't fault him, not many people seemed to trust each other anymore.

Rick smiled softly. "He must have turned sixteen a couple of weeks ago."

"I turned sixteen four months ago. It's kinda strange," she added sheepishly looking away from him. "To see another kid that's around my age. Kinda miss having other kids my age to talk to. I got my two sisters but it's not the same."

"I understand." nodded Rick.

They turned around as the door opened again and Dahlia straightened as she saw her dad walk out looking between them. Rick may of not noticed but she saw her fathers eyes dart back into the house obviously telling her to go back inside. He may be helping Carl upstairs but that didn't mean he trusted Rick around his daughters.

Dahlia grabbed the empty bowl and walked back inside not saying goodbye to Rick as her father walked over to him. She walked back inside the house and began to wash the bowl taking her time as she heard the loud hooves of a horse nearing the house and grinned relieved when she saw Maggie riding up to the house behind her a skinny woman with long brown hair holding onto her waist.

She ran outside and practically jumped onto Maggie hugging her inhaling the familiar smell of grass and sweat with a hint of perfume that stuck to her skin. She could see Rick leading his wife Lori into the house keeping their arms around each other and sighed burrowing herself closer to Maggie. That poor woman to see her son on a bed with a gunshot wound.

Otis and Shane weren't back and it had already gotten dark. It was causing panic for everyone, Rick and Lori were worrying about Carl's health and Patricia was worrying over Otis coming back safely and Dahlia was just worrying about everything in general. If Carl died before Otis and Shane got back than all the blame would be on Otis and she wondered what reaction it would cause for the three new people who obviously cared about Carl. Would there be a fight they could handle themselves against the infected but against people two of them who used to be police officers she knew they wouldn't win.

Beth and Jimmy were in her room probably sleeping after finishing off the vegetable stu, they didn't have any lookouts so far away from the house when it got dark since they couldn't see anything at all really. But everyone else was still up not one bit tired to worried and to scared to shut their eyes and fall asleep. Lori and Rick were in the upstairs bedroom with the passed out Carl, Dahlia had made them both sandwiches an extra for Rick since he was still giving blood but that was all she had seen of them. Now that nothing was happening her father kept her away.

Maggie was outside on the porch waiting for the rest of their group to get to the house but it may not be all of them. Rick had explained that they were trying to find a little girl called Sophia who had run away from the infected into the woods, that was when Carl had gotten shot.

She stayed up with Patricia on the adjacent couch reading an old book that her father had given her on medical notes. Dad thought it would be good if his daughters leaned these things incase something happened without him there. She looked up from her book as she heard Maggie walk in and peered around when she saw two-man following her. She stood up and walked over to them.

Maggie smiled and nodded her head to Dahlia. "This is my younger sister Dahlia and this is..."

The closest man to Maggie a small, skinny Asian with a baseball cap on his head cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I'm Glenn and this is T-Dog."

"It's nice to meet you." Dahlia smiled politely thinking in her head under the reasons why they were at the farm anyway. They seemed alright enough they were dirty and sweaty but she looked past that everyone was dirty and sweaty now without many showers or baths running properly. She narrowed her eyes as she looked closer at T-Dog who was cringing as he held his arm she could see a sheet had been wrapped around it but the blood was soaking through it looked so bright against his dark skin.

"It's not a bite," said T-Dog obviously seeing where she was looking. "I cut it on some glass trying to get away from walkers."

Dahlia raised her eyebrow amused.

"Walkers?"

"Yeah, what do you call them?"

"Infected."

Patricia stood up from the couch and walked away from the room going up the stairs not really looking at any of them. Maggie sighed and smiled weakly at Glenn and T-Dog.

"That's Patricia don't mind her. She's just worried about her husband now."

Glenn nodded. "Can we see Carl?"

"That wound will have to be looked at and treated before it gets worse and I don't want to much people in the room incase something happens. They need all the space they can get." Maggie told them pointing to T-Dog's wound.

"You go man. I'll stay down here and wait I guess."

Dahlia stepped forward and took a closer look at the sheet wrapped around his arm. The blood was soaking through it quite quickly. "I can treat that for you. Stitch it up and everything and after that I can make you some sandwiches."

T-Dog looked at her reluctant.

"You know what you doing?"

"Sure she does. You'll be in good hands," assured Maggie and grabbed a blushing Glenn's hand and pulled him up the stairs. "Come on the quicker we get in the quicker we get out."

T-Dog looked back down at her slowly still not seeming to believe she could handle taking care of his arm. Dahlia smiled eagerly and pulled him along to the kitchen and sat him down gently and got the small medical kit that was in the top cupboard.

"You've done this before?" asked T-Dog nearly flinching back in the sit as she kneeled in front of him taking supplies out of the medical box.

Dahlia smiled and nodded looking up at him.

"Sure loads of times."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Sometimes the horses legs need to be stitched up sometimes when they get cut so they don't get infected. I'm sure it isn't any different to a human."

"Horses." T-Dog said flatly.

Dahlia shrugged her shoulders and reached for the sheet around his arm and slowly began to take it off. "Daddy says I'm a natural doing it. I always wanted to practise on a human never got to though. Looks like you got here just in time, this thing needs to be treated right away."

T-Dog's wound had started to become purple and yellow puss started to form on the sides of his scars. She relaxed as she saw that he was telling the truth she couldn't see any bite marks or scratches that would come from the infected the scar looked to jagged and uneven for that. She reached for one of the bottles that would clean out all the bacteria and opened it and put it on a clean towel and moved to the clean the wound.

"This is going to sting." she warned him.

T-Dog hissed between his teeth as he stared straight ahead at the wall in front if him over Dahlia's head. She was trying to do it gently making sure not to put much pressure on the wound so it wouldn't hurt him even more. As she cleaned away the germs on the wound she went for the needle and tapped it gently.

"Whoa, whoa what's that?" asked T-Dog as he eyed the needle in her hand like it was a dangerous weapon.

"A needle you never seen one before or something."

"I've seen one!" huffed T-Dog and started to mutter under his breath. "Never one that big though."

Dahlia smirked looking down. It was kinda funny seeing a big guy like him get squirmy over a needle even if it was a big one. She pressed the needle into his skin pushing down on the tube to squirt more of the numbing juice into his arm.

"That'll keep your mind of the pain for a while. You won't feel it for a couple of hours it'll probably hurt tomorrow morning."

"Thanks."

"No problem jut let me wrap it up. And I can make you some of the most tasty sandwiches you've had in a long time."

T-Dog's stomach rumbled and he used his good arm to cover it. "Anything would be good now." He told her sheepishly.

Dahlia used a clean bandage and wrapped it around his arm with a large patch of cotton stuffed inside it so it didn't touch the wound. T-Dog sat there looking around the kitchen as Dahlia walked around in front of him preparing the sandwiches.

"Is this your farm?"

"It's always been our farm," Maggie walked into the kitchen followed by Glenn who immediately sat next to T-Dog at the table. "Has been for generations. We know all the works here. It keeps us alive."

Glenn looked down at T-Dog's arm that was now looked better and sighed. "Carl's alright I think. They didn't tell me much, I told them the group would be here tomorrow."

Dahlia dropped the sandwiches down in front of them and walked over to her sister who looking at them both with her arms crossed.

"Listen dad isn't going to let you stay in the house especially with such a group coming. Your lucky that your even in the house at all right now. Dad doesn't like strangers on the farm."

Dahlia looked outside the window frowning as she looked over to the barn. Dad didn't like people on the farm because he didn't want people to find out about the infected in the barn. They would probably kill them without a thought.

"We understand we've got a tent in the car Glenn and I can sleep in it tonight." T-Dog said understanding.

As long as they kept away from the barn.

They looked up as they heard a car pulling up front of the house and Dahlia ran forward out onto the porch her heart thumping against her rib age as she smiled relieved that they had come back and brought supplies for Carl upstairs. Another hour maybe and he would have died. Maggie was behind her with their dad walking up to the car with Rick. Lori stayed behind with them watching with wide expectant eyes. Dahlia grinned at Maggie who looked as relaxed as she had seen her since the virus.

"Carl..." Shane stumbled forward limping holding onto a backpack as he looked at them all.

"Still a chance." Rick told him hopefully.

Dad grabbed the bag out of Shane's hands almost roughly as he tried to quickly get back to the room with Carl in it but hesitated turning around with his bushy eyebrows furrowed as he peered around Shane to look in the trunk.

"Otis?"

Shane looked away from dad his breath shaky as he shook his head. "No"

Dahlia gasped putting her hand over her mouth as her eyes began to burn as tears started to form in them. It felt like her stomach had dropped as she stared wide-eyed at Shane unbelieving what he said. Not Otis. She couldn't believe that something had happened to him. She choked back a sob. Oh god Patricia.

Maggie just stood beside her still as a statue as she looked down at the ground, her father wasn't faring any better as he looked stumped shuffling on his feet not seeming to know what to do.

"We don't tell Patricia," He ordered finally. "Not till after. I need her!"

He ran back inside the house the bag of medical supplies clutched in his hands tightly, Maggie sniffed loudly and followed after him looking almost like she was about to fall over.

It felt her chest was becoming tighter and tighter as her throat clogged up as the tears started to run down her face. It was quiet outside the house the only thing that was heard was the heavy breathing and quiet sniffles. Lori looked over to Dahlia and out her hand on her back rubbing it gently. She may not have a good view on Otis since he shot her son accidentally but he obviously meant a good deal to the people who were trying to help her own son.

Rick hugged Shane tightly trying to comfort him but Shane kept still with a stunned look on his face as he looked over at Lori and Dahlia over Ricks's shoulder.

"What happened?" choked out Dahlia.

Shane looked over at her and gulped and stared back over at Rick who had let him go looking at him for answers too.

"They were blocking us every turn. I turned around and he...he said he would cover me I should keep going." Shane's voice started to become stronger with every word. "And that's what I did. I kept going but I looked back and he...I tried."

Dahlia closed her eyes. It was something that Otis would do, she could see it clearly him telling Shane to go and Otis shooting away on that gun of his killing every infected he could but that wasn't enough. It was never enough. She opened her eyes to the real world both imaginary and real were so alike. In both words Otis was gone.

Rick had put his hand on Shane's shoulder. "You made it back alright."

Shane rubbed his hand over his face not looking at him as he didn't stay still looking anywhere he could as he shuffled on his feet. He looked over to Lori who was staring at Dahlia her arm wrapped around her shoulder.

He made it back but Otis hadn't.

Dahlia moved away from the house going over to sit down on the grass away from them curling into a small ball as she tucked her chin into her knees. Patricia was going to be so sad about this about Otis death. He shouldn't have died. No one should. Not her mom or Shawn or any other good people. She didn't see how her father still believed in god after what was happening. Why would god let this happen, why would he let all the good die.

It must have been an hour or maybe two as they waited for dad to come out and tell them how Carl was. She hadn't moved a muscle, not when Rick and Lori curled up together on the porch or when Shane sat himself up against the car looking in pain. She didn't hear any screaming so they that was good but all she could think about was how Patricia was going to react to Otis. She wondered if she would make it in this world without him. She didn't think she would if she loved someone as much as Patricia loved Otis and they had died.

She looked up as her father walked out followed by Maggie and Glenn. T-Dog must be sleeping or resting from the cut on his arm she thought. She stood up slowly making her way over to them onto the porch practically leaning on Maggie who took her weight without complaint.

"He seemed to have stabilised." Dad told them all wiping his hand on a rag.

Rick and Lori let out relieved laughs almost stumbling into each other. Dad smiled at them weakly. It seemed everyone was still thinking about Otis like she was. Maggie's eyes were red-rimmed showing she had cried. Rick walked up her father and hugged him great fully and let him go after patting him on the back.

Lori sniffed waving her hands trying to say something. "I have no words."

Dad's face went grim-looking down his bushy eyebrows pulled together. "I don't either. Wish I did. How do I tell Patricia about Otis?"

Lori and Rick lost there smiles remembering that someone had died even if there son was now safe. Dahlia gulped wiping her eyes. She didn't think anyone knew what to say to Patricia. Would it start with a sorry or would they try to make her sit down and explain it to her.

Rick turned to Lori. "You go to Carl. I'll go with Hershel."

Lori nodded wiping face.

Dahlia followed Maggie as she took her hand leading her into the house her grip on her hand tight. They didn't follow dad and Rick but walked into the lounge room sitting down on the couch as Glenn sat on the ground beside them all of them staying quiet.

"No...no...no"

Dahlia pressed her head into Maggie's neck trying to force out Patricia's sobs that racked the house. It didn't matter how they told her the end would be the same. She would be heartbroken and Otis would still not be coming home again. The rush of happiness that she had felt when she saw the car pull in felt like years away.

* * *

**Carl is obviously a little older than he was in the show to match my character Dahlia. Leave a review.**


	2. Chapter 2

Dahlia hummed as she pressed the dishcloth over Carl's head the fever was going down but he was still sweating and they had to keep him cooled down especially with the weather they were having now as the sun bared down on them all. Rick and Lori were in the kitchen eating with T-Dog and Glenn talking about the missing girl Sophia. With nothing to do she had stepped up to keep an eye on Carl. Beth and Jimmy were hanging around the barn keeping an eye out if someone walked just a little to close and Maggie the last time she had seen her was trying to comfort Patricia.

Her dad tried to soften the blow of Otis death to her but really could anyone ever soften a blow of a loved one who had died. They were either alive or they weren't it didn't sound simple and she knew it wasn't. But now in the world they lived in seeing someone die just was just a thing that people barely noticed anymore. It kinda scared her that she was almost alright with death. Nothing should be alright.

But she thought as she looked down at Carl good things did happen. Not all the time nearly rarely but they did.

She exhaled loudly and turned around dipping the dishcloth into bowl of water beside squeezing out the extra water she didn't need and turned back around almost jumping in her seat as she saw Carl awake and looking at her perplexed.

Carl started to try to sit up. "Where am I? Who are you?"

Dahlia dropped the dishcloth into the bowl and put her hands on his shoulders gently pushing him down onto the pillows as she noticed the cringe in his eyes as he tried to move.

"You were shot you shouldn't be moving for a little while." explained Dahlia as she sat back down in her chair keeping her eyes on him incase he tried to get back up.

He didn't but he blinked at her confused.

"What's going on?"

"Like I said you were shot. Your dad brought you here to get fixed up by my dad. Your okay now but the bullet wound is going to scar though and hurt for a bit. Your mom's here too and a couple of people from your group to the rest will be here soon."

"I'm Carl."

"I know, I'm Dahlia Greene."

She stood up and ignored the way that Carl watched her warily not seeming to trust her yet. He was smart but she would have thought after she said that his parents and group were close to him he would at least trust her.

"I'm going downstairs to get you parents do you want something to eat?" she asked as she put her hand on the handle of the door.

Carl quickly nodded his head as his eyes got wider.

Dahlia smiled amused and turned around and walking out the door and down the stairs to the kitchen which was crowded. Her father in the corner looking over T-Dog's arm unwrapping his bandage, Maggie was near the stove with Patricia who looked pale and distant as she watched the meat crackle in the pan. Glenn was off the side looking out the window waiting for the rest of the while Rick and Lori were sitting down at the table eating the last pieces of toast on their plates.

She was nearly sure that Shane would be outside where he had been since this morning not speaking to many people caught up in his own thoughts. And with his newly shaven head he looked even more menacing to her.

"Rick, Lori" they looked up from their plates looking expectantly at her. "Carl's awake and talking."

Lori grinned widely and rushed out of the room not looking back as she ran up the stairs to Carl. Rick was slower but even more determined to walk up the stairs or more like stumbled he was still weak from giving so much blood the night before.

"He alright?" asked T-Dog.

Dahlia nodded ducking away from Maggie who slapped her head playfully as she grabbed some of the meat in the pan ignoring the burn of her fingers as she munched on the juicy meet in her mouth. They rarely had meat and the only reason they were eating it was because Rick needed the vitamins from it to raise his blood pressure more.

"Now you make sure you change that bandage every night. We don't need it get infected." Dad told T-Tod standing up. "I better go check Carl's wound while he's up."

"Thanks."

Dad walked over to Maggie and Dahlia who looked at him curiously, Dahlia still munching on the small pieces of meat in her mouth.

"I want you two with Beth and Jimmy to go pile up some large rocks near the house and gather them together. We'll put on a small service for Otis later in the day. That's all we can do."

Dahlia nodded looking down wiping her mouth. "Anything you say dad."

Maggie glanced over to Patricia but nodded as well. Glenn looked away from the window as they began to walk out of the kitchen and walked over to their dad nervously.

"We could help," he said looking over to Dahlia and Maggie who had began to out their shoes on. "You saved Carl's live all we can do is help out with anything."

T-Dog nodded standing up his fingers grazing absentmindedly on his fresh bandage.

"I don't know." Dad said hesitantly. He wasn't sure of strangers walking across his farm especially if they went near the barn.

"The more hands the quicker it gets done." said T-Dog walking over to them.

Dad inhaled sharply and nodded.

"Well I guess we better get started." Maggie smiled at Glenn and T-Dog but glanced over to their dad quickly and nodded her head.

They wouldn't be let near the barn.

There dad walked up the stairs to check Carl while they walked outside. Dahlia and Maggie keeping Glenn and T-Dog in the middle of them. Beth saw them and waved running over breathing a little hard she looked at all of them. Jimmy following closely behind her keeping his eyes on the two new people.

"What are you guys doing out here?" Beth asked softly as she tried not to look at Glenn or T-Dog shyly.

"Dad wants us to pile up some large rocks and make a type of service for Otis. Glenn and T-Dog are helping." Maggie told her walking pass and grabbing the wheelbarrow on the side of the house and wheeling it over to the large cluster of tree's

"I'll go get Shane and bring him over." Glenn ran off to where Shane was standing by himself his new clothes making him look like he was a country boy. Patricia had washed his clothes later in the night. Maybe she had washed off the bad memories of what happened to Otis.

Dahlia bent down grabbing one of the large rocks nearly wincing when the sharp edges cut into her skin lightly and threw it into the wheelbarrow. Shane and Glenn had come back and started to help them they were just as quick as the others were even if they didn't spend their days on the farm. T-Dog still helped but her was slower with his arm only using the good one.

A loud noise got their attention from picking up the rocks and they all turned to the dirt road path that lead to the house. A person was leading an Rv and a small silver car but what caught her attention was the fact that the person was riding a motorcycle. A loud big looking one and she wondered how the person could ride on it without being scared to attract the infected.

"I'll go tell Lori and Rick the rest are here."

T-Dog walked off nearly jogging as he went as fast as he could to the house. Maggie beside her sighed heavily and grabbed the handle of wheelbarrow and grunted as she started to roll it.

"This will do for now."

"That motorcycle certainly catches attention doesn't it?" asked Dahlia as they walked back to the house.

Glenn nodded. "That's Daryl, he wouldn't leave the bike for nothing. It was his brothers."

She noticed he sounded awkward mentioning the brother and kept quiet. He might have died or turned into an infected. Either way she kept her nose out if it. Dad always told her not to go asking personal questions of a stranger. She got a good look at some of the people as they got close to the house. Daryl the man on the motorcycle was dirtier than anyone on the farm with a sleeveless shirt which made her blush. He was kinda good-looking in a weird way. Their was a blonde woman stepping out of the small car who looked at them all warily. She stayed near Maggie as the people got closer Beth walking over to porch to watch what going on.

Rick and Lori walked out looking at them all with quiet relief that they were all there but they looked disappointed as they looked at the newcomers. Dahlia wondered if it was because of the girl Sophia and she looked around. There was no girl with them. She wasn't there. She was still missing.

An old man who looked close to there dad's age walked up to Rick and Lori with a worried expression on his face. He looked like a fisherman she thought looking at him with a floppy round hat and a Hawaii shirt that covered a white singlet.

"How is he?" the man asked

Lori put her hands on her lips and smiled shakily. "He'll pull through thanks to Hershel and his people."

"-and Shane." added Rick as Lori stopped looking away from them all. "We would have lost Carl if not for him."

Shane looked at them not saying anything. He barely talked since coming back from the school. Patricia looked down at the ground covering her mouth obviously thinking of Otis. If it hadn't been for Otis Carl wouldn't have been alive. He gave up his life to safe Carl's.

The old man looked relieved as he stared at Rick and hugged him with glassy eyes. Dahlia was right people really did care about Carl. It was a good thing he hadn't died. A skinny woman with very short hair went over to Lori hugging her.

"Oh thank god. We were so worried."

"How did it happen?" asked the old man letting to of Rick.

Rick shook his head. "Hunting accident, that's all. Just a stupid accident."

"Were gonna have a small service for Otis." Dahlia stepped forward-looking at Lori and Rick expectantly. "Are you going to be there."

Rick nodded.

"He helped Carl. We'll be there."

xxxxxxxxxx

Beth put the last rock onto the small mountain of rocks that they had made before walking over to where Patricia was. Lori and Rick's group were one side and Dahlia and her family were on the other. Dahlia looked at the rocks and breathed out. How many funerals did they need to have. And she wondered for only a second if she would ever have a proper funeral. Or would she be bit by an infected or killed by them.

She wore her black church dress that reached her knees and her hair was taken out of her pony tail so it moved freely in the wind. Her old clothes were on her bed and she planned to put them in the bin or at least at the back of her closet. It was a small step to forgetting Otis, getting rid of the clothes she had been in when she had found out about his death.

It was quiet nothing but the breeze to listen to as her father took out his bible moving to a page in the middle of the book. He was in his best too in a nice black suit that wouldn't be worn again just like her own black dress.

"Blessed be God, father of our lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to him for the gift of our brother Otis, for his span of years, for his abundance of character; Otis, who gave his life to save a child's, now more than ever, our most precious asset." Dad read glancing over to us before looking back at the bible. "We thank you, God, for the peace he enjoys in your embrace."

Beth wrapped her arms around Jimmy pressing her face into his side as they all looked at the rocks. Dahlia wished Otis's body was here on the farm so they could bury but only if it wasn't bitten or chewed or ripped apart. But there was no chances of that whatever the infected got there hands on it was destroyed.

Dad turned to Shane pointing to the pile of rocks. "Shane will you speak for Otis?"

"I'm not good at it," Shane whispered looking down. "I'm sorry."

Patricia sniffed and looked over at him. Tears were running down her red face and her blond hair that was usually near was messy and unkept.

"You were the last one with him. You shared his final moments. Please. I need to hear.  
I need to know his death had meaning."

"Okay"

They waited as Shane took himself time to recover looking lost. Patricia kept her eyes firmly on him waiting to hear her husband's last moments, wanting to know what exactly happened and how. And give her a reason Otis had died.

"We were about done. Almost out of ammo. We were down to pistols by then.I was limping. It was bad. Ankle all swollen up. We've got to save the boy. See, that's what he said. He gave me his backpack. He shoved me ahead. Run he said. He said, I'll take the rear. I'll cover you. And when I looked back." Shane stopped and his jaw quivered and he looked over at Patricia who had her hand over her mouth tears in her eyes as she looked at him

He limped forward not staying on his bad foot and reached for a rock in the wheelbarrow. "If not for Otis, I'd have never made it out alive. And that goes for Carl too. It was Otis. He saved us both. If any death ever had meaning, it was his."

Dahlia watched as he put a rock the top and stared at it intensely. Another man lost to the virus. And she was sure there would be more.

xxxxxxxx

She was out of her church clothes and into more comfortable cloths. The new group on their farm had started pitching tents away from the house. Dad hadn't said anything she didn't think but she knew it wouldn't last long. When they found Sophia and Carl was healed they would be moving on. Dad didn't need people finding out about the infected in the barn.

She stood next to her dad waiting for Maggie to come back with a map of the surrounding areas as they huddled around the front of the car. Rick stood next to her dead with his fresh, clean police officer shirt on that had been washed and his sherif hat on his head. The other three Daryl, Shane and the blonde woman Andrea were on the other side as they spoke about Sophia.

"How long has this girl been lost?" asked her father as Maggie walked up to the holding the map in her hands.

"This'll be day three." Rick told them.

Dahlia frowned. A young girl by herself out there with the infected, it didn't sound good. She wouldn't say anything to the others who seemed hopeful in finding her but there was only a small chance on finding her. Alive or as an infected.

Maggie unfolded the map and pointed at it putting down on the car. "Shows terrain and elevations."

"This is perfect." Rick said nearly smiling in relief. "We can finally get this thing organised. We'll grid the area, start searching in teams."

"Not you. Not today." said Dad making Rick look at him confused. "You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out. And your ankle... Push it now, you'll be laid up a month, no good to anybody."

Shane sighed heavily and looked away licking his lips looking peeved.

"Guess it's just me." Daryl said moving his bow on his shoulder and pointed at the map "I'm gonna head back to the creek, work my way from there."

"I can still be useful. I'll drive up to the interstate, see if Sophia wandered back." Shane told them leaning against the car on his arms

"All right, tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right." Rick said looking down at the map. He looked disappointed that he couldn't anything but if he tried dad would be one step behind him telling him to take it easy.

"That means we can't have our people out there with just knives. They need the gun training we've been promising them."

Dahlia frowned and shook her head crossing her arms. "Dad doesn't like guns on the farm."

And neither did she. She didn't want strangers carrying guns around the house they didn't know if they were trustworthy yet. They could hurt them and overtake the farm if they wanted too. Their group was larger and they couldn't risk it.

"We've managed so far without turning this into an armed camp." Dad said looking at them all sternly.

Shane took off his cap and rubbed his shaved head. "All due respect, you get a crowd of those things wandering in here..."

"-look were guest here. This is your property and we will respect that." Rick stated taking out his gun from his belt and putting it on the car and looked expectantly at Shane who bit his lip tightly and took out his own gun and shoved it onto the car annoyed. "First things first: we find Sophia."

"I hate to be the one to ask, but somebody's got to." spoke up Shane as he looked at them all mainly Rick. "What happens if we find her and she's bit? I think we should all be clear on how we handle that."

Rick looked down guilty. "You do what has to be done."

Dahlia looked over at him shocked and she saw she wasn't the only one. Her father had an expression of horror and Maggie was looking at him with furrowed eyebrows.

"And her mother?" asked Maggie quickly. "What do you tell her."

"The truth." said Andrea like it didn't bother her that they had to kill someone's daughter even if she was infected.

Maybe if it was an adult Dahlia could look the other way. But a little kid someone's child how could someone come back and tell the mother that they had to kill her daughter. It wasn't right. Dahlia and Maggie looked to their father who shook his head at them seeming disappointed in the other group but didn't want his daughter causing a fuss. The sooner they were off the farm the better.

"I'll gather and secure all the weapons. Make sure no ones carrying until were at the practise range site." Shane said and he looked at her dad. "I do request one rifleman on lookout. Dale's got experience."

The reaction was quick. Maggie tightened her lips and her dad furrowed his eyebrows tightly. Dahlia looked over at Dale who looked innocent as he helped build the tents. He was so close to dad's age. But was it good to give a man a gun in his hands which could just easily turn back onto them

"Our people would feel safer, less inclined to carry a gun." Rick said trying to her dad to agree.

Dad nodded his head slowly though he didn't look pleased as he did.

Daryl and Shane walked off going to find Sophia and Dahlia watched as they left her eyes kept going to the arrows and bow on Daryl's back. She had never seen one before and she had to admit it was pretty smart. It was quiet and as long as you got or made arrows you would never run out of them.

She turned back to her dad and squeezed his arm. "We'll I promised to make Carl some food. He must be starving."

Dad nodded to her as Maggie asked a question about the medicine they had gaining the others attention and walked away and moved in to the house. She only made a simple sandwich with chicken meat and lettuce but for someone who hadn't eaten properly in a while it would seem good. She grabbed a glass of milk before walking up the stairs knocking on the door before walking in.

He was still awake sitting up against the pillow his legs out of the sheets. He didn't look as tense or weary of her as before so his parents must have explained everything to him.

"I got you some food and a drink. You must be starving." She said handing him the plate and putting the glass on the draw next to him and stood there stiffly. She felt awkward around Carl who was the only person close to her age a thing she hadn't seen in such a long time.

Carl grinned and took a bite of the sandwich and gulped loudly as he ate it.

"Thanks. I didn't think you were coming back. It took you a longer time than I thought it would."

"We were having a funeral service."

"What!"

"Not one of your people. Someone close to us, he was the one that shot you accidentally. He went to get you medical supplies to help you but he didn't come back."

Carl dropped the half-eaten sandwich on his plate and frowned. "Sorry."

"It's not your fault really." Dahlia smiled weakly. "It was just a huge accident on both ends I suppose."

"What was his name?" he asked

"Otis" she said softly. "He worked around the farm before...everything. Him and his wife Patricia. She helped look after you last night."

Dahlia left him to go in search for Maggie. Carl leaned back into the pillows picking the sandwich not very hungry as he was before.

xxxxxx

Maggie tightened the saddle to the horse making sure it wouldn't wobble especially since Glenn would riding on this one. She could tell that he had never been on a horse before if the terrified expression was anything to go by. She looked up as she saw Dahlia walking to her fingers absentmindedly brushing along the walls.

Dahlia smiled at Maggie petting the horse on its snout and looked over at her curiously. "Where are you going?"

Maggie patted the horse and walked over to the tool bench grabbing her bat and putting it near the horse for later.

"Me and Glenn are going into town to get medical supplies. Incase Carl needs it...if all of us need it in the future."

"Dad letting you go into town with Glenn. Someone he doesn't even know?"

"I'm a big girl I can handle myself."

"I didn't say you couldn't," Dahlia sighed turning away from the horse. "I'm just saying be wary alright. That blonde chick Andrea and Shane don't look happy about their guns getting taken away. We don't know how the other will react."

Maggie bumped her shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry I will."

They both stopped talking as T-Dog walked over to them tensely and looked between them.

"We got a problem."

xxxxxxx

Dahlia walked next to Maggie as they all travelled over to one of the wells of water they had on the property. T-Dog and Dale had explained to them that there was an infected in the well which could ruin the water. Good plenty of water that they could use. She stood in-between Maggie and Shane as they all looked down.

She hadn't seen many infected in her life her dad tried to shield her away from it but this one had to be the ugliest she had ever seen. It looked like its face was swollen and it had no hair, it was fat and its rolls hung over each other. It made it even more disgusting that it's skin was all wet and shrivelled like a prune. Dale turned on a flashlight and put the light on it making it turn it's head up at them and gurgle and hiss.

Dahlia grimaced and took a tiny step back.

"We got ourselves a swimmer." Dale said peering at it with curiosity with thin level of revolution.

"That's disgusting." she said covering her nose to try to keep the smell from wafting up her nose. She didn't take her eyes off it as she watched it touch the walls like it was trying to climb up.

"How long do you think it's been down there?" asked Glenn

Lori frowned and scrunched her nose.

"Long enough for it to grow gills. We can't leave it there, god knows what it's doing to the water."

"Well we gotta get it out."

T-Dog shrugged his shoulders. "Easy put a bullet in its head. I've got some rope-"

"-woah, woah guys." Maggie interrupted them quickly and shook her head. If her dad found out he would want it in the barn with the other infected. He wouldn't be pleased to know that Maggie and Dahlia helped kill it if it wasn't in defence. "No"

"Why not it's a good plan." Glenn said confused

"It's a stupid plan. If that thing hasn't contaminated the water yet blowing its brains out will finish the job." said Andrea looking at them.

Dahlia crossed her arms and nodded along with her. "And we need all the water we can get."

"She's right," Shane licked his lips as he tried to think. "It's to risky."

"Well we gotta get it out alive."

Shane smirked. "So to speak."

"How do we do that?"

xxxxxx

Maggie and Dahlia stood off to the side as they lowered a piece of rope they had knotted together so they could hang it over the infected and drag it back up. Dahlia had gotten some canned ham so they could use it as bait for it go for, and she didn't want to think that the canned ham was the last one left. They needed water more than they did the meat in the kitchen. Jimmy and Maggie could just go hunting for meat if they needed food.

They got closer as it was lowered kneeling on their knees to watch as the rope got closer to it. The infected just looked at it gurgling before turning in a circle splashing the water and touching the walls again trying to get out.

"It ain't going for it." Dale said disappointed.

"Maybe 'cause a canned ham don't kick and scream when you try to eat it." T-Dog told them bitterly as held onto the flashlight looking at the infected with his eyes narrowed.

Lori nodded her head agreeing. "He's right. There's a reason the dead didn't come back to life and start raiding our cupboards."

Dahlia breathed out a laugh. It was a stupid joke but for some reason it humoured her.

"We need live bait."

No one stepped up for the responsibility not that Dahlia thought they would. Who would want to risk their lives near the infected. It was risky and dangerous. But they needed that water and it was her family's farm. It wouldn't be right if they made the new group do it.

"I'll do it." She said squinting her eyes against the sun.

Maggie shook her head as quick as the words came out of Dahlia's mouth she looked angry that she even suggested the idea of her going anywhere near the infected in the well.

"No way. It's too dangerous."

"Everything's dangerous these days. We need that water especially with a large group staying on the farm."

"I won't let ya. There's a reason dad keeps you away from them he doesn't want you hurt how do you think he's gonna feel when he finds out you were so close to one."

Lori looked at them and nodded with Maggie. "She's right it should be one of us were older-"

Dahlia glared offended. "But not lighter. I'm the tiniest here and the lightest and we need the lightest person to be at the end of that rope. The lightest the person the quicker to pull them up."

Shane rubbed his face.

"She's right."

"No she's not! I don't want you anywhere near that thing."

"One day I'm gonna learn not to be afraid of those things," said Dahlia rubbing her neck as she looked at Maggie who had glared at Shane. "And it's better if I start early. You and dad aren't always gonna be around me when the infected are near. Please Maggie."

Maggie closed her eyes and clenched her jaw and nodded but pointed at her face sternly. "Any sign of trouble you come back up alright. If you can't handle it-"

"I'll come right back up." She promised

Maggie sighed and grabbed the rope out of Shane hands and started to wrap it around Dahlia's waist tightly. She didn't trust anyone else with her sister's life and making sure that the rope was tight and secure was at least going to give her a bit of relief. They looked at each other not saying anything and Maggie breathed loudly and grabbed her neck and pulled her into a hug. Don't let anything bad happen. Please don't let anything happen.

Dahlia breathed out shakily as she sat on the wall of the well looking down at the infected that was already looking up at her he grunting loudly as it splashed the water around with its arms as it move erratically. Out the corner of her eye she could see Maggie pacing back and forward wiping her face. She didn't go to far though.

She looked up as Shane bent down checking the rope around her waist just incase Maggie missed something and smiled weakly.

"You'll be my favourite person if you don't drop me."

"I won't drop ya. Your safe. We'll get you out in one piece"

Dahlia touched the rope around her waist lightly as Shane walked away to grab a piece of rope that was wrapped around one of the pipes. She glanced down at the infected and closed her eyes. Hopefully he got her out in one piece and not half chewed.

Maggie stopped pacing as she saw Dahlia start to go down the wall and walked over. "I'm not sure about this. We shouldn't be doing it."

"Do you want it out of your well or not?" asked Shane.

Maggie glared at him

Dale gripped the rope in his hands tightly and looked at her. "Don't worry Maggie we got this."

Dahlia looked behind her and gave Maggie a shaky smile before going down slowly. Maggie walked closer to the well nearly kneeling as she clenched and unclenched her hands in worry as she watched Dahlia go further down the well.

Dahlia pressed her feet against the rocky wall of the well keeping her eyes firmly on the infected noticing how far she was from it. It was so close as it raised it arms moaning almost like a human baby reaching for its parents. It was uglier up close it's eye was bleeding and the swelling looked two times bigger than its face and it smelled. It smelled of wet rotting meat that had been stuck in the fridge to long.

"Doing okay?" yelled Maggie

Dahlia looked up clearing her throat trying to hide how scared she was and nodded with a fake smile. "Yeah I'm alright."

She grabbed the other rope beside her that they had made to put around the infected and kept her hand clenched around it as she slowly got closer she started to raise her legs so they didn't dangle in front of the infected. It was way to tempting. Just as she began to raise the rope around the infected she dropped suddenly so that she was so close to the infected she could feel it's hands grabbing at her legs.

"Get me out! Pull me up!" She screamed terrified as she kicked her legs away from the infected her left hand on the wall of the well as she tried to pull herself up and away from the hungry infected. Dahlia swung side to side as she tried to move away from it never staying still. She could Maggie's screams louder than the rest who were all shouting trying to pull her up.

"Get her out! It's gonna kill her!"

"We're trying!"

"Quickly!"

Dahlia screamed as it grabbed her leg and she kicked it in the head roughly. "Please! Hurry!"

She was beginning to move away from the infected as she was starting to get raised. And her breathing turned into quick gasps as she got further and further away. She looked up as she saw the top of the well getting closer to her even seeing the safety of the outside getting closer to her didn't stop her from shaking and breathing louder. She was still terrified. She grabbed onto the wall of the well and pushed herself out shakily, hands grabbed at her and pulled her out.

"Your alright, your alright." Maggie's voice was near her ears as Dahlia gripped onto her tightly panting. "Your safe."

Maggie's voice quivered with every word and her own hands that were running up and down her back were shaking as well. Dahlia looked up and saw everyone looking down at her there terrified expressions reflecting her own and she slumped sighing loudly against Maggie.

"Back to the drawing board." Dale muttered looking back to the well.

Dahlia sniffed loudly and pulled away from Maggie and threw the rope in her hands at him which he caught. "Says you."

xxxxx

Dahlia and Maggie kept away from the well only watching as it was being pulled up. Maggie wouldn't stop touching her but she didn't mind she needed the assurance that she hadn't been killed in the well like she could have been. Being alive now was just plain luck and she hated it. She shouldn't waste her life on luck.

"Come on ya'll pull!" Yelled T-Dog as he pulled the horse along in front of him.

With his bad arm he couldn't do much but the infected in the well had been too heavy to pull with just humans hands so they had needed the horse to help pull as well. Maggie rubbed Dahlia's arm as the infected was pulled over the wall grunting and hissing as it was. She grimaced but didn't look away at it was pulled by its neck. It looked pregnant. She was wrong it didn't have fat rolls, it looked like it in the water but out of it she could see it was just bloated. Bloated from eating flesh.

"It's stuck!" shouted Shane as he grunted pulling the rope harder with the others.

The infected was waving its hands in the direction of Maggie and Dahlia who stepped back. She wasn't going anywhere near that one. And Maggie certainly wasn't going to let her. She could see that his bloated stomach was the reason it was stuck it was already half pulled out but as they got to the heavier section it got harder to pull.

As they pulled hard on the rope again a ripping sound alerted them as half of the infected was ripped apart its guts and blood flying everywhere including into the well of water. Dahlia gagged and put her hand to her mouth trying not to vomit as she watched it gurgle and raised its arm to Andrea and Glenn still moving hoping to eat them.

"Seal of this well." Dale suggested frowning tightly.

Shane rubbed his head annoyed. "Yeah that's a good idea."

"What do we do about-"

T-Dog interrupted Andrea bringing down a pipe and plummeting it on the infected head over and over. Dahlia looked away as its face was smashed in repeatedly. Maggie moaned quietly covering her mouth and walked away turning her back on the sight. She didn't go far just away from the smell.

T-Dog hit the infected in the head one last time and looked at them. "Good thing we didn't do anything stupid. Like shoot it."

xxxxx

She walked into Carl's temporary room holding an old book of Shawn's that she thought might interest him. She didn't know what it was about but Shawn always read it nearly everyday even if he finished it so many times.

"Hey." She said quietly moving over to the chair beside his bed and crossing her legs trying to keep warm.

Carl looked at her from beneath the covers of his blankets his once pale skin starting to gain colour back. He looked almost small in the huge bed which was weird because he was pretty tall. She smiled as she noticed the sherif hat on his head.

"I like your hat."

"My dad gave to me. It's his. He used to be the sherif deputy."

"That's cool. I just wanted to give you a book you know if you got bored just laying in bed. My brother always read but I never knew what it was about but he liked it."

Carl took the book out of her hands turning it over to look at it. "Would your brother mind that read this?"

"I don't think he would," she said sadly. "He died when all this started same with my ma."

"I'm sorry." He looked ashamed that he even asked that question.

"It's alright I still got my dad and my two older sisters. Maggie the oldest one I'd be surprised if she let me leave the house again."

She was trying to start another conversation away from death.

"Why?"

"There was an infected in one of our water wells and we had to get it out. I was live bait, something went wrong and I nearly got eaten. I've never been so terrified in my life," Dahlia said remembering squeezing her hands. "My palms were sweaty, I was screaming, Maggie was yelling. It all happened really fast."

"If that had been me my mom would be my shadow for the rest of the month." joked Carl trying to keep her from breaking down.

Dahlia's face dropped. "What if she tells my dad!"

She looked over at Carl who was trying not to grin and rolled her eyes as he began to laugh quietly. She looked away trying to hide her own smile.

"Shut up."


End file.
